Improvement in escapements foe time-pieces



7 w. c. KELLUM. Escdpement for Time Pieces.

No. 71,019. Patented Nov. 19, 1867.

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WILLIAM .C. KELLUM, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

Letters Patent No. 71,019, dated November 19, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN ESGAPEMENTS FOR TIME-PIECES.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. KsLLUinof San Francisco, county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an improved Escapement for Time-Pieces; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my saidinvention or improvement without further invention or ertperiment.

The object of my invention is to provide an improvement in escapements used in time-pieces, and which consists, first, in attaching a return-spring to the (latent-lever by a pivot, in such a manner that the two may be kept in adjustment by one spring. The detent-lever may be looked upon the escape-wheel by gravitation when used in an upright or pendent time-piece. Also my return-spring may be kept in its adjustment upon the point of the detent by gravitation, whether'attached at any point of the detent by pivots, or to any other part of the time-piece. A lock-lever is attached to the detent-lever, so that in case more than one tooth passes at once, this lever will catch the escape-wheel and force it to look upon the detent-lever.

It also relates to an arrangement for-banking, by which the balance-wheel is allowed to vibrate to acertain point in either direction, but not far enough to pass more than one tooth. Thisis efi'ected, first, by means of a light spring, so placed that as the hair -spring u-ncoils, it forces it out so as to catch the banking-pin on the rim of the wheel; and secondly, by means of a lever, so placed as to be'moved out and in by the expansion and contraction of the hair-spring, and which shall catch the banking-pin at a certain point.

To more fully explain my invention, reference is bad; to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, of which Figure 1 is a top view, showing the manner in which it banks by means of the spring.

Figure 2 is atop view, showing the banking by the lever.

Figure?) is an elevation, showing the end of the banking-lever, with its pins.

Figure 4 is a side view of the detent-lever and its spring.

Figure 5 is a top view, also showing the lock-lever.

Similar letters of reference, in each of the drawings, indicate like parts.

A is the balance-wheel of the time-piece, and is actuated by the impulse-pallet e and the hair-spring B. On the rim of the wheel A is placed a small pin, a, which projects upwards in figs. 1 and 2. A light spring,'E, is fastened to the post G, and bent as shown, so that when the balance-wheel would vibrate too far in that direction, so as to unlock more than one tooth of the escape-wheel, the spring 13 is uncoiled so far as to press E out sufiiciently to intercept the pin a, thus forming a banking at that vibration. The post 6 is so placed as to support the end ofE when the pin a banks at that point. In ordinary'vibration, the pin a passes by the end of the spring E without touching. The second banking consists of the lever C, vibrating on the axis D. At the end of this lever is the plate F, having a slot out through it, as shown in fig. 3. Two pins, 0 0, project downward from this lever, at such a point that they stand on either side of the outer coil of the hair-springB. This, by its increase and decrease of size, moves the end of the lever C out and in, the pin a passing through the opening in F, in ordinary vibrations, but ifthe balance-wheel vibrates too far, the spring 13 coils more closely,

thus drawing the plate F in so far that the pin a will bank against it. Either banking may be used, and both, 1r desired.

'The escapemcnt is constructed in the following manner: H H is the detent-lever, which turns on the staff 5, and has on its extremity the adjusting-screw I, which locks the teeth of the escape-wheel at each impulse. z'is the impulse of the balance-wheel, and carries the impnlse-pallet e and unlocking-pin d. n is alock-lever projecting from the detent H, so that if by any means I becomes unlocked, it will prevent the cscape whecl from turning. J J is a return-spring or lever, pivoted to the detent-lever at m, and kept in contact with it at the point 11- by means of the spring K, or it may be kept in contact at n, and the detent-lever may look 'at I by gravitation, when used'in upright or pendent time-pieces, without the spring K. The return-spring J may also be attached at some other point, instead of the detent-lcver. g gare stops attached to the plate, and standing on either side of the detent-lever, so that it will lock the escape-wheel sufficiently. The set-screw I may be altered so as to keep the teeth of the escape-wheel adjusted as desired.

In working, when the balance-wheel makes a vibration to the left, the pin d comes in contact with the end r of the spring J, and moves it and the detent=lcver H away, so as to unlock the adjusting-screw I, thus'allowing time 2 a tooth of the escape-wheel O to pass, the impulse being given by the pallet e at the same instant. The pin (2 passes the end of J, and when the vibration is complete, returns and lifts the spring J, so as to allow d to pass without acting on the detent-lever. As the detent unlocks, it moves the look-lever 7L into the space between the teeth of thewheel 0, so that if the detent-lever did not return soon enough to catch the next tooth, the lever n would look it and prevent more than one tooth passing. By this construction I am enabled to make an escapement which is a dead-beat, and the time-piece having it will rate exactly and absolutely perfect. It can never be made to gallop or pass more than'one tooth at a time, as it will bank in both directions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with the escape-wheel O, I claim the arrangement of the detent-lever H, springs J and K, lock-lever n, and adjusting-screw I, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

' WM. 0. KELLUM. [L. s]

Witnesses:

O. W. M. SMITH. J. L. Booms. 

